Printing press



Aug. 15, 1933. P. E. JACKSON 1,922,439

PRINTING PRESS Filed Jan. 27, 1932 4 Sheets-Sheet l ATTORNEY.

1933- P. E. JACKSON PRINTING PRESS Filed Jan. 27, 1932 4 heets-Sheet 2 INVEN TOR,

P u/flJac/fson ATTORNEX Aug. 15, 19330 p JACKSON 1,922,439

PRINTING PRESS Filed Jan. 27, 1932 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 INVENTOR,

faa/ I 1/56/4500 A TTORNEY.

Aug. 15, 1933.

P. E. JACKSON 1,

- PRINTING PRESS Filed Jan. 27, 1932 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 2 5 7 25' 25 W W W INVENTOR,

A TTORNEY.

Patented Aug. 15, 1933- N'r OFFI E Y PRINTING PRESS Paul E. Jackson, Los Angcles, Calif.

Application Januai y 27, 1932 SerialNo. 589,199%

1 Claim. (Cl. 270-5) This invention relates to multi-color print- .ing presses and more particularly to means for converting a standard single-color printing press into a multi-color one.

5 The usual method of converting a singlecolor printing press into a multi-color one is,

by decking, -that is, by adding one or more complete unit type presses to the usual press employed for printing black only. This involves a very considerable expense not to mention the extra space required for making such additions.

The primary object of this invention is to provide-means for converting a standard singlecolor 'rotary' printing press into a multi-color printing press or a multi-color press into a single-color press in .a simple manner and at comparatively small expensef 1 ,A further object is to provide means of the character described which may be applied to rotary printing presses built by different manufacturers and which may be kept in stock 'by such manufacturers so as to be always available for converting their presses from the single-color type to the multi-color type.

Other'objects will appear hereinafter, as .the details of the invention are described.

Referring to the accompanying drawings which illustrate what is at present deemed to be a preferred embodiment of the invention,

Fig. 1 is a side view, in elevation, of a typical unit-type, sextuple, rotary printing press, ,for, printing in black only, as used in newspaper work, showing'thearrangement of the units in the gear mechanism for driving the printing couples; also showing the frame-work in fragmentary formand the approximate positions of the-pipe rollersand the compensating rollers therein; and'also showing, in diagram, the relative positions of the paper reels and the folder and indicating the travel of the'paper web "from the former to the latter. r

- Fig. 21s a view in elevation of the opposite side of the printing press shown in Fig. 1, showing more clearly the power shaft and gear mechanis'm'on thatside. I

Figs. 3,4, and '6 are views similar to Fig. 1, showing ad ions .and changes in the structure '60 of the press and-the gearing of the driving mechanism thereof whereby I the press, as a. whole, istransformed into one of the multicolor type; said additionsland changes being the embodiment of this invention.

.55 Figs. '1, 8, 9. 10.

11, 12, 1a, 14, 15 and is areform no part of this invention.

diagrammatic sectional views of the printing couples of two such printing presses as shown in Figs. 1 to 6 inclusive, placed so as to form a double sextuple printing press with a common folder placed between the right side and left side sections thereof; showing the twelve print-' ing couples, the relative positions of the pipe rollers, the compensating rollers, the paperreels and the folder; also showing the travel of the paper web from the rolls through the printing couples to the ,folder in .such, a manner as to obtain certain predetermined color effects as explained hereinafteru It will be understood that the parts of a complete printing press not shown in the drawings, such as the plate cylinders, the impression cylinder, the inking mechanism, folder, etc., may be of any suitable type now in use and By reference to Figs. 1 to 6 inclusive of the drawings it will be seen that the sextuple press which the printing couples are mounted, and

shown therein comprises three 'unit frames or stands 20a, 20b and 200 each equipped with two printingcouples 21a and 21b, 21c and 21d and 21c and 21f.respectively, arranged in horizontalalignment. Parallel beams 22 supported by uprights 23, which extend upwardly from each side of each stand, form the superstructure or upper framework of the press and serve to hold in place pipe rollers 24 which are adapted to guide .the paper web in its travel through the press.

Thef several printing couples "comprise the usual plate cylinders mounted on shafts 25a, 25b; 25c,' 25d, 25c and 25 so as to cooperate with the usual impression cylinders mounted 'on shafts 26a, 26b, 26c, 26d; 26e and 261, each plate cylinder on a shaft 25 forming a couple with the impression cylinder on the adjacent .shaft 26. Intermeshing gear wheels 27a, 271) etc. and 28a and 28betc., of equal size are fixed on the projecting ends of shafts 25a, 25b etc.,

and 26a, 26b, etc., respectively,- on one side of thepress so that if either shaft of a couple is rotated the other will be driven 'so as to rotate in an opposite direction thereto and at exactly thesam'e rate therewith.

Similar but somewhat larger intermeshing gear wheels 29a, 2%, 290, etc., are fixed on the opposite endsof shafts 26a, 26b, 260, etc., from gear wheels 28a, 2812 etc., the two shafts 26a,

' and26b,-26c and 26d, etc., of eachunit, being mounted adjacent each other, near the middle of-the" unit; as shown,' so that when either of the two shafts 26e-or 26b etc.-,'. is rotated the other is driven in the opposite direction. It will be seen that this arrangement of, gears which is the normal one, causes the two couples in each unit of the press to rotate in opposite directions, as indicated by'the arrows in Figs. 1 and 2. 3

A horizontal power shaft 31, -journaled in suitable bearings (not shown) is mounted under the press on the side thereof on which gear wheels 29a, 29b etc., are mounted and vertical shafts 32a, 32c and32ejextending from equally spaced points adjacent shaft 31 to points ad- I jacent the ends of shafts 26a, 26c and 266 are journaled in suitable bearings (not shown) which are attached to the sides of each stand or unit frame 20a, ,20b and 200 of the press. Mitergears 33a, 33c and 33e are fixed on shaft 31 so as-to mesh with miter gears 34a, 34c and 34e, respectively, fixed on the lower ends of vertical shafts32a, 32c and 326, respectively. Also miter gears 35a, 35c and 35s are fixed on the upper ends of vertical shafts 32a, 32c and 32e respectively so as to mesh with miter gears 36a, 36c and 3662, respectively, which are fixed on the ends of shafts 26a, 26c and 26a, respectively, adjacent gear wheels 29c, 29c and 29a.

Obviously, when power shaft 31 is caused to rotate in one direction by a suitable motor, the gearing mechanism, as shown in Figs. 1 and 2, will cause the two printing couples of each unit to turn in opposite directions and the paper webs 37a, 37b and 370 running off of rolls 38a, 38b and 380, as indicated by the arrows, will normally be led through each of the three units to the folder 39 in the same way, so that each side of each web is brought in contact with a separate plate cylinder as shown in Fig. 1 and both'sides of each web are thus printed in one color, usually black. This is the standard setup and usual operating method employed in ordinary newspaper printing.

Attention will now be given to the means comprising this invention, .for converting such a standard set-up into a modified press adapted for printing two or more colors in addition to black. In Figs. 3 to 6 inclusive are shown modifications which. make possible the printing of two colors, red and blue by way of illustration, in addition to black, on one side of the same web.

Fig. 3 shows the means and arrangement employed for printing pages 2 and 7 of a 16 page paper in red blue andblack. This is done by removing gear wheel 29d.from shaft 26d and supplying an idle wheel 40 which meshes with gear wheels 28c and 2802, said idle wheel 40 being mounted on a stub shaft or pivot pin 41 attached to the framework of the middle unit 20b in equally spaced relation to said gear wheeis 28c and 28d; It will be seen that when shaft 26a is caused to turn gear wheel 28c drives idle wheel 40 which in turn drives gear wheel 28d and causes shaft 26d to rotate in the same direction as 260 so that the twocouples 21c and 21d are caused to rotate in the same direction. A compensating roller 42 is added to the unit in suitable position to take up such slack, 'in the web as may be necessary toinsure proper registering. A

Assuming that the plate cylinder on shaft 25c is supplied with black ink, the plate cylinder on shaft 25d is supplied with blue ink, the plate' cylinder on shaft 25c is supplied with red ink and the plate cylinderon shaft 25f is blank,-it will be seen that a web 43 running off of reel 38c and traveling through the press, as indicated by the arrows in Fig. 3, will be printed in three colors, black, blue and red, on the side which forms pages 2 and '7 of a complete newspaper of 16 pages.

- Fig. 4 shows the means and arrangement whereby pages 1 and 8 of a 16 page paper are printed in red, blue and black. Here the position of bevel gear 33c on power shaft 31 is reversed so as to reverse the rotation of vertical shaft 32e, gear wheel 29") is removed from shaft 26 and an idle wheel 44, turnable on a stub shaft 45, is attached to the side frame of unit 200. This arrangement of gears causes couples 21c and 21 to rotate in the same direction but in the opposite direction to that of couples 21c and 21d in Fig. 3. A compensating roller 45 is also added to the 200 unit.

In this case the plate cylinder on shaft 25c would be blank, that on shaft 25d would be supplied with red ink, that on shaft 25c with blue ink and that on shaft 25f with black ink, and a web 47 running off of reel 38b through the press, as shownin Fig. 4, would be printed in red, blue and black on the side which would form pages 1 and 8 of a complete 16 page newspaper.

The means and arrangement of gears to print the two colors and black on pages 3 and 6 of a 16 page newspaper are similar to those shown in Fig. 3, except that in Fig. 5 bevel gear 330 is reversed so as to reverse the rotation of vertical shaft 32c and also the rotation of the two couples 21c and 21d. 'In this case the plate cylinder on shaft 25a in blank, that on shaft 25b .is supplied with red ink, that on 25c with blue ink and that on 2511 with black ink, and the web 48 runs off of reel 38a traveling through the press was to bring the sameside thereof in contact with the plate cylinders inked with red, blue and black successively as shown.

Fig. 6 shows the arrangement for printing pages 4 and 5 of a 16 page newspaper in two colors and black. Here the gearing mechanism is left as shown in Fig. 1, except that gear wheel 29b is removed from shaft 26b and an idle wheel 49 is mountedon a'stub shaft 50 attached to the framework of unit 20a, so as to mesh with gear wheels 28a and 28b. A compensating roller 51 is also added to this unit. I

In this case the plate cylinder on shaft 25d is blank, that on shaft 250 is supplied with red ink, that on shaft 251) with blue ink and that on shaft 25a with black ink. The web 52 running off of reel 38b, is made to travel, as in each of the other cases, so as to make contact first with the red-inked cylinder plate, then with the'blue-inked one and finally with the black-inked one.

In a printing press construction of the character to which this invention pertains, it is necessary to arrange a large'number of mechanical parts in a comparatively limited space, and therefore the usual gear shifting levers are. objectionable owing to the fact that considerable clearing must be provided near them in order that they may be operated properly. Forv this reason there is provided by this invention a more compact arrangement of the shiftable gearing which I 'will now proceed to describe.

As sliotvn in Fig. 6, shaft 31 may be provided with pairs of miter gears 330., 33c, 33c foreach vertical shaft32a, 32c and 32e, respectively, the two members of each pair being oppositely disposed and splined on shaft 31 so-that either may beshifted into or out of engagement with 50 miter gears 34a, 34c and 34e. Set screws 53, adapted to hold said miter gears 33a, 33a and, 33e in their adjusted positions on shaft 31, may be screw-seated in the hubs thereof, as shown.

The diagrams shown in Figs. 7 to 16 inclusive, illustrate several different arrangements whereby this invention may be applied to a double sextuple printing press to print certain pages of a 32 page or a 40 page newspaper in two colors in addition to the usual black. In these diagrams the plate cylinders are designated by the numerals 25, the impression cylinders by 26, the pipe rollers by 24, the paper rolls by 38, the webs by 37, the folder by 39 and the compensating rollers by 42. In order to distinguish the plate cylinders which have different colors of ink, those having red are designated 251', those blue 25s and those having black 25].

Fig. 7 shows two webs running through a double sextuple press so as to print in red,- blue and black pages 1 and 16 in the right section and pages 8 and 9 in the left section of the press, these being pages of a 32 page newspaper.

Fig. 8 also shows two webs running through the same press so as to print, in the same two colors and black, pages 2 and 15 in the right section and pages 7 and 10 in the left section of the press, also for a 32 page newspaper.

Fig. 9 shows a single web running through the right section of the press so as to print the two colors and black on pages 1 and 20 of a 40 page newspaper.

Fig. 10 also shows a single web running through the right section of thepress, so as to print the two colors and black on pages 2 and 19 of a 40 page newspaper.

Figs. 11 and 12 each show a single web running through the right section of the press so as to print the two colors and black on pages 3 and 18,- (Fig. 11) and pages 4 and 17, (Fig. 12) of a 40 page newspaper.

Fig. 13 shows two webs, one running through the right section and the other through the left section of the press so that the latter prints pages '7 and 14 of a 40 page newspaper.

Fig. 14 shows two webs, similarly running through the right and left sections of the press, the latter printing pages 8 and 13 of a 40 page newspaper.

Figs. 15 and 16 each show a single web running through the left section of the press, so as to print pages 9 and 12 (Fig. 15) and pages 10 and 11 (Fig. 16) of a 40 page newspaper. It will be seen that the travel of the webs through the couples is always in the same order, namely, first through the one supplied with red ink, then through the one supplied with blue ink, and finally through the one supplied with black ink. The platecylinders of couples not having the color designated and through which the web travels, are blanks. 1

Although the illustrations here given specify certain colors and several different arrangements of the means employedfor converting a standard sextuple rotary printing press into a multicolored one, it readily will be seen that other colors may be used and the invention may be applied to smaller and larger presses of the rotary type and other variations may be made in the arrangement of gears and travel of Web to produce a great variety of diiferent results.

I claim:

The combination with a unit type rotary printing press, of an idle wheel in the driving gear thereof adapted to reverse the normal rotation of one of the printing couples of the press driven bevel gear mounted adjacent to said driv- 

